The Marauders and a Stone
by AriaAlways
Summary: What will happen when the Marauders find a certain book? Will the future change? Will Lily accept her future with the Marauders? Or will James simply insult the book? Find out here!


Ok everyone, I decided I didn't really like my LJ fic that I was thinking about, I might eventually do it but for now I'm gonna start on this one. As for what this is, it is the Marauders and Lily reading the Harry Potter books. I've read a couple like this and I loved them so I thought I'd do my own. I hope to eventually do all 7 HP books. Helping me with this will be cdlover and her little bro. If I ever get round to seeing them again. But I'm rambling now. This chappie was done entirely by me though.

**Disclaimer: If I was JK, I wouldn't do fanfics because either I would accidentally give something away, or people would think I was giving something away. Therefore, I am not JK.**

James Potter was out on a Saturday morning stroll (putting off his homework), not really caring where he was going, probably because he was thinking about the love of his life, or so he thought. Lily Evans, smartest and prettiest girl in his year. He and Lily had a particularly nasty fight last night, ending with her telling James to never talk to her again. Not that she really expected him to do that, James not asking her out once a day was like a Niffler not digging for shiny objects, it simply defied the laws of nature.

James suddenly found himself on the third floor, facing a door to a room he could not recall ever being in. This in itself was practically a miracle, he and his best friend, Sirius Black, were the number one troublemakers in the whole of the school. They had been since their first year, and they were now at the start of their seventh, along with their two other best friends, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

James looked at the door for a moment. Perhaps the room behind it was like the Room of Requirement, only appearing when needed. He certainly never remembered it.

'Oh well,' he thought to himself, 'standing here isn't going to do anything.' And he opened the door.

Inside it looked pretty much like an empty classroom, except there were no desks or chairs or even a blackboard. But in the floor there was a trapdoor. This would have intrigued James, if there hadn't been an odd book lying on top of it. It had a picture of a train on it, the Hogwarts Express, waiting at Platform 9 ¾. In front of the train, and looking rather confused, was a boy of about 11. James almost thought he was looking in a mirror, this boy had the same facial features, same messy black hair, and same glasses. He could have been James' twin, except for two things: his bright green eyes, and the weird lightening-shaped scar on his forehead. James looked at the title of the odd book.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

'Harry Potter?' thought James. 'I don't think I have a relative named Harry. But he must be related to me, he's got my hair, only my family has that hair. And what's this thing about some Stone?'

"I'll ask Remus, he'll know what this Philosopher's Stone is." he told no-one. He picked up the book and ran to Gryffindor tower.

When he entered he rushed towards the boys' dormitories, when he spotted long red hair belonging to a girl sitting in a chair. She was finishing off her homework.

"Hi Lily," he said breathlessly, slowing down as he passed her.

"Hello, - oh, it's you." said Lily as she looked up and realised who was talking to her. "I thought I told you not – what are you looking at, Potter?" she demanded. But James wasn't listening. He had seen her eyes, and something had clicked in his brain.

Lily had piercing green eyes.

"You – your eyes – green, Harry's – but that means – " James suddenly let out a whoop of victory. "Yes! I love this book!"

"What book? Who is Harry?! Hey, let me go!" Lily squealed, for James had grabbed her wrist and was once again running for the boys' dorms.

"No. You're part of this too. I have to find out what this is about!" he said as he burst through the door to his room.

"Find out about what?" asked Remus. He looked up from the textbook he was reading.

"Put that boring book away, Remus, and tell me what the Philosopher's Stone is." said James, plonking Lily down at the foot of Sirius' bed, next to Peter and Sirius. She huffed but stayed put. James sat down opposite, next to Remus, and looked at him expectantly.

"The Philosopher's Stone? Why do you want to know about that?" asked Remus, surprised.

"I'll tell you in a minute. What is the Stone?" asked James again.

"It is a stone that can turn any metal into gold, and produces the elixir of life." said a voice. But it was a girl's voice. Everyone looked at Lily. "What? Dumbledore and a friend of his discovered it, I read his biography."

"But why do you want to know, Prongs?" asked Sirius.

"Because, Padfoot, I found this weird book on the third floor." said James, holding up the book so the others could see the cover.

Peter gasped. "He could be your twin!"

"I know, Wormtail, that's why I brought it here."

"But what has this got to do with me?" said Lily.

"Because, Lily, he's not exactly James' twin." said Remus slowly.

"Right, Moony. He's got that weird lightning scar on his noggin…" started Sirius.

"And green eyes." said Remus, looking pointedly at Lily.

"So wha…oh, my, NO WAY!" screamed Lily. "I am never ever EVER going to marry Potter!"

"Calm down Lily!" exclaimed Remus. "How about we just read a bit of the book and see what happens?"

Lily scowled and glared at James. "Alright," she said.

"OK, I'll read it." said Remus. James seemed unwilling to let the book go, but gave it to Remus.

"OK, chapter 1," said Remus, opening the book. "_The Boy Who Lived_"

"Living is probably a good thing." said Sirius, snickering. Remus glared at him, and started.

_Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they perfectly normal, thank you very much._

Sirius: You're welcome.

James: I bet they aren't normal.

Lily: Dursley? That name sounds familiar…

_They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense._

James: OK, now I know there's something weird going on.

_Mr Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills._

Sirius: Drills? What in the name of Merlin are drills?

Lily: Muggle device, let's keep going, this might actually be good.

_He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache._

Peter: Mmm, beef. I'm hungry now.

James: Wormtail, you're always hungry.

Peter: Oh, yeah!

_Mrs Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over fences, spying on the neighbours._

Lily: Ew, she sounds like my sister!

_The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere._

Sirius: OK, so who names their son Dudley?

_The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it._

James: Oh yeah! Who was right about them being strange and mysterious?

Others: …you…

James: … um, yeah … on with the story …

_They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters._

James: Hey! What'd I ever do to you?

Remus: Uh, Prongs, you're talking to the book.

James: Right, sorry.

_Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be._

James: Well I'm glad I'm unDursleyish, because being you stinks! And I am not good-for-nothing, I'm great at Quidditch!

Sirius: Prongs…

James: Oh, yeah, sorry, but the book is insulting me!

Remus: We don't know that it's you, but if it is we'll find out. Meanwhile, I would like to finish at least more than one sentence at a time.

_The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that._

James: That book is insulting my son!!

Lily: I can't believe it… I won't believe it!

_When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country._

Sirius: I bet something weird's gonna happen to them.

James: Serves them right!

_Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work and Mrs Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his highchair._

_None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window._

Sirius: How are owls weird?

Lily: For Muggles, Sirius. They don't use owls.

_At half-past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. 'Little tyke,' chortled Mr Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive._

_It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map._

Sirius: How are _cats_ weird?!

Lily: Sirius, cats _reading maps_ are weird!

_For a second, Mr Dursley didn't realise what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of?_

Peter: Food? I am.

_It must have been a trick of the light. Mr Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said _Privet Drive_ – no, _looking_ at the sign; cats couldn't read maps _or_ signs._

Peter: I knew a cat that could do that! Oh, wait that was a dream.

Others: …

_Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day._

James: Well, I hope you don't get it!

_But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks._

James: Hey! I wear a cloak!

_Mr Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes – the get-ups you saw on young people!_

James: Hey! I'm a young people!

Lily: James, shut up, or I will put a silencing charm on you!!

_He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by._

Peter: His eyes fell out? Gross!

Sirius: It's a figure of speech.

James: Hey, how come they're allowed to talk?

Lily: Because I didn't threaten them, and you're the one yelling at a book.

James: …keep going.

_They were whispering excitedly together. Mr Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him!_

Sirius: Yeah, the nerve of him, wearing a cloak! Please.

Peter: Hey, wait, if they're all wearing cloaks, maybe there wizards!

Lily: But they wouldn't wear cloaks in front of Muggles, they'd get suspicious.

_But then it struck Mr Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something … yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr Dursley arrived in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills._

_Mr Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. _He _didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed as owl after owl sped overhead._

James: Hey, what's wrong with owls?

Lily: Yeah! Owls are great!

Sirius: Uh, Lily, now you're doing it too.

Lily: Hehe, sorry.

_Mr Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning._

Lily: How sad, an owl-free morning. And there's still something weird about his name.

_He yelled at five different people. He mad several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more._

Sirius: Telephone? I don't wanna know…

_He was in a very good mood until lunch-time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the baker's opposite._

_He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin._

James: What would wizards be collecting for when they've forgotten not to wear cloaks in front of Muggles?

_It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying._

'_The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard –'_

'_- yes, their son, Harry –'_

James: What about my son? Tell me what happened to my son!

Remus: Prongs, calm down, I'm scared you'll attack the book!

_Mr Dursley stopped dead._

Sirius: Yes, he's dead!

Lily: I thought you were the expert on figures of speech?

_Fear flooded him._

Lily: Don't say anything.

_He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it._

Peter: Ha! He's too scared to talk to them!

_He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking … no, he was being stupid._

James: There's a surprise.

_Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew _was _called Harry._

Lily: He doesn't even know his own nephew!

_He'd never even seen the boy._

Lily: Never seen him?!

_It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs Dursley, she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He'd didn't blame her – if _he'd_ had a sister like that … but all the same, those people in cloaks …_

Sirius: A sister like what? A witch?

_He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door._

'_Sorry,' he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell._

James: Who does he think he is? First he insults me and my son, and now he goes around knocking people over!

_It was a few seconds before Mr Dursley realised that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground._

James: What?

_On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare: 'Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today!_

Sirius: Why not?

_Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last!_

James: Voldemort … gone?

Siruis: Yes! Voldemort's gone! Whoo-hoo!

_Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating this happy, happy day!'_

Lily: Well that was a bit stupid, calling him a Muggle to his face.

Sirius: Who cares! Voldemort's gone!

_And the old man hugged Mr Dursley around the middle and walked off._

_Mr Dursley stood rooted to the spot._

Peter: Now he's a tree!

Sirius: Again, who cares?

_He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled._

Peter: A rattled tree?

James: Shh, Wormtail, it's getting interesting now.

_He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination._

Sirius: But imagination is fun! I would really hate to be him.

_As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood – was the tabby cat he'd spotted this morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes._

'_Shoo!' said Mr Dursley loudly._

Sirius: Gee, that's original, shoo!

_The cat didn't move._

Sirius and James: Yay cat!

_It just gave him a stern look._

Sirius: Sounds like McGonagall.

_Was this normal cat behaviour, Mr Dursley wondered._

Sirius: It's normal McGonagall behaviour.

_Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife._

James: I bet he mentions something to his wife.

Lily: _Now_ you have an Inner Eye! Where was that sort of stuff in your Divination exam last year?

_Mrs Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learnt a new word ('Shan't!')._

Lily: What a charming child … not! I hope I never meet these people.

_Mr Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living-room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:_

'_And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.'_

James: I bet it's people owling each other about Voldemort!

_The news reader allowed himself a grin. 'Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?'_

James: We don't want to know about weather!

'_Well, Ted,' said the weatherman, 'I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today._

Lily: What else?

_Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early – it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight.'_

Lily: Shooting stars everywhere? I bet they're celebrating Voldemort's downfall!

Sirius and James: Whoohoo! do victory dance

_Mr Dursley sat frozen in his armchair._

Peter: And now he's a popsicle!

Sirius: Wormtail, stay on track, Voldemort's gone!

_Shooting stars all over Britain?_

James: Yes!

_Owls flying by daylight?_

James and Sirius: Yes!!

_Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place?_

James, Sirius and Lily: YES!!

James and Sirius: …

Lily: What? Aren't I allowed to be happy? Voldemort's gone!

_And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters …_

James: Again, what did I ever do to you?

_Mrs Dursley came into the living-room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good._

Peter: The tea?

_He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. 'Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?'_

Lily: …

James: Er, Lily, what's wrong?

Lily: I'm going to die when I tell you, but … my sister's name is Petunia.

James: … YES!! I'm gonna marry Lily! But, wait, that means this book shows the future! AND I'm gonna be related to that evil Dursley person!

Lily: I thought his name was familiar. I'm gonna die again when I tell you, but … my sister is engaged to some pig named Dursley.

James: YES!! I am DEFINETLEY gonna marry Lily!

Lily: Not if you don't shut up! On with story of my sister.

_As he had expected, Mrs Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister._

Lily: She's always done that.

'_No,' she said sharply. 'Why?'_

'_Funny stuff on the news,' Mr Dursley mumbled. _

James: Oh, so Lily and I are funny stuff now, huh?

'_Owls … shooting stars … and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today …'_

James: FUNNY-LOOKING?!

Lily: James, as funny as it is watching you defend me from a book, you're getting a bit loud.

Author: Hence the caps.

Lily: Huh?

Author: Uhh… never mind, back to the book.

'So?_' snapped Mrs Dursley._

'_Well, I just thought … maybe … it was something to do with … you know … _her lot_.'_

James: HER LOT?! If I ever meet you, Dursley, I'll be the last person you ever meet!

_Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'. He decided he didn't dare._

James: Ha! Chicken!

_Instead he said, as casually as he could, 'Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?'_

Lily: Oh! I forgot about our son!

'_I suppose so,' said Mrs Dursley stiffly._

'_What's his name again? Howard isn't it?'_

Lily: I would never name my son Howard!

'_Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.'_

'_Oh, yes,' said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. 'Yes, I quite agree.'_

_He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there._

Sirius and James: Yay cat!

_It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something._

_Was he imagining things? Could all of this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did … if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn't think he could bear it._

James: A pair of what, Dursley?

_The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters _were_ involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley._

Lily: Not that we'd want to!

_The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind … He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on._

Sirius: I bet they get mixed up in whatever's going on.

_He yawned and turned over. It couldn't affect _them_ …_

_How very wrong he was._

Sirius: I told you!

_Mr Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness._

Sirius and James: YAY CAT!!

Lily: Finally, we find out what's up with this cat!

_It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all._

Sirius and James: YAY CA-

Lily: SHUT UP! I want to know why the cat moved!

_A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground._

Peter: Wow! He Apparated!

Sirius: No, really, Wormtail.

_The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed._

James: Uh-oh, I think this man might not be good.

_Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice._

Lily: It can't be …

_This man's name was Albus Dumbledore._

James: Or I could be wrong.

Sirius: Dumbledore's in the book too! It must be true!

_Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realise he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, 'I should have known.'_

Lily: Should have known what?

_He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter._

Sirius: Ooh! Dumbledore smokes!

Lily: No he doesn't!

_He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it._

Peter: In the air? Why'd he do that?

_The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop._

Peter: Ooohh!

_He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat._

Lily: What is up with this cat?

_He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it._

Remus: …

Sirius: What is it?

Remus: I just read ahead, and it freaked me it out.

Sirius: What does it say??

'_Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall.'_

Everyone: …

Sirius: McGonagall! Whoo! Everyone's in this book!

Peter: Yeah, except us.

_He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes._

Lily: That's right! McGonagall is an Animagus! She showed us in our third year, remember?

_She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled._

'_How did you know it was me?' she asked._

'_My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly.'_

'_You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day,' said Professor McGonagall._

Sirius: And why was she sitting on a brick wall all day?

'_All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feats and parties on my way here.'_

Sirius: See? Dumbledore agrees with me!

_Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily._

'_Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right,' she said impatiently. 'You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news.' She jerked her head back art the Dursleys' dark living-room window. 'I heard it. Flocks of owls … shooting stars … Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense._

James: Diggle! That's a weird name.

Sirius: My mum knows him, he is weird.

'_You can't blame them,' said Dumbledore gently. 'We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years.'_

Sirius: Too right.

'_I know that,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours._

_She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on: 'A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really _has_ gone, Dumbledore?'_

Lily: Please say yes, please say yes!

'_It certainly seems so,' said Dumbledore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?'_

James: A what?

Lily: A Muggle sweet. I really like them.

'_A _what_?'_

'_A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of.'_

'_No thank you,' said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemons._

James: And it's not! What happened to Voldemort?

'_As I say, even if You-Know-Who _has_ gone –'_

'_My dear Professor, surely a sensible like yourself can call him buy his name? All this "You-Know-Who" nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call by his proper name: _Voldemort_.' Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice. 'It all gets so confusing if we keep saying "You-Know-Who". I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.'_

James: Exactly. I've always said his name, I'm not scared of him.

'_I know you haven't,' said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. 'But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know – oh, all right, _Voldemort_ – was frightened of.'_

Sirius: Whoo! Go Dumbledore!

'_You flatter me,' said Dumbldore calmly. 'Voldemort had powers I will never have.'_

'_Only because you're too – well – _noble_ to use them.'_

Sirius: Whoo! Go noble Dumbledore!

'_It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.'_

James: Ahaha! Dumbledore blushing? I can't see that.

_Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, 'The owls are nothing to the _rumours_ that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?'_

Sirius: What? WHAT? What stopped him?!

_It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer._

'_What they're _saying_,' she pressed on, 'is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow._

James: Godric's Hollow? I've always wanted to live there.

_He went to find the Potters._

James: Oh no! I _am_ going to live there!

_The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are –_

Remus: …

James: Yes! I told you we were getting married!

Remus: …

Sirius: What is it, Remus? Keep going!

_The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – _dead_.'_

James and Lily: …

Sirius: No …

Lily: I can't believe it … we're killed by Voldemort …

James: But what about our son? What happens to him?

_Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped._

'_Lily and James … I can't believe it … I didn't want to believe it … Oh, Albus …'_

_Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. 'I know … I know …' he said heavily._

_Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. 'That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry._

Lily: Oh no …

_But – he couldn't._

Peter: Huh? He couldn't? Why not?

James: Who cares? My son's gonna live! Whoohoo!

_He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone.'_

James: My son is going to defeat Voldemort?

_Dumbledore nodded glumly._

'_It's – it's _true_?' faltered Professor McGonagall. 'After all he's done … all the people he's killed … he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding … of all the things to stop him … but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?'_

Peter: Yeah, how?

'_We can only guess,' said Dumbledore. 'We may never know.'_

_Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch._

James: But, wait. What's going to happen to Harry?

Sirius: We'll look after him! Me and Remus and Peter.

James: Aw, thanks, you guys!

_It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?'_

'_Yes,' said Professor McGonagall. 'And I don't suppose you're going to tell me _why_ you're here, of all places?'_

Lily: Oh no …

'_I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle._

Lily: Oh no!

_They're the only family he has left now.'_

Sirius: What?! Why can't he come live with me? I have a place of my own now!

'_You don't mean – you _can't_ mean the people who live _here_?' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. 'Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!'_

Lily: Why on earth does Harry have to live with my sister?

'_It's the best place for him,' said Dumbledore firmly. 'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter.'_

Lily: A letter?

'_A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him!_

Lily: Yeah!

_He'll be famous – _

Lily and James: Yeah!

_a legend – _

Lily, James and Sirius: Yeah!

_I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future – _

Everyone: YEAH!!

_there will be books written about Harry – _

Sirius: Oh really? I never knew.

_every child in our world will know his name!'_

Everyone: Yay Harry!!

'_Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses._

James: Exactly? What does he mean exactly?

'_It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?'_

Lily: Well, I suppose he has a point …

_Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, 'Yes – yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?' She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it._

Lily: Hey, yeah, where is Harry?

'_Hagrid's bringing him.'_

Sirius: Yay Hagrid!!

'_You think it – _wise_ – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?'_

James: Yes!

'_I would trust Hagrid with my life,' said Dumbledore._

'_I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place,' said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, 'but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to – what was that?'_

Sirius: What was what?

_A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them._

Lily: A flying motorbike?

Sirius: Cool! I want one!!

_If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide._

Everyone: Hagrid!

_He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so _wild_ – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins._

James: Yep, that's Hagrid.

_In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets._

James and Lily: Harry!

'_Hagrid,' said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. 'At last. And where did you get that motorbike?'_

'_Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. 'Young Sirius Black lent it me._

Sirius: Excuse me? The motorbike is mine?

Remus: Um, yes.

_I've got him, sir.'_

James and Lily: Harry!

'_No problems, were there?'_

'_No, sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol.'_

_Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep._

James and Lily: Harry!

Peter: Yes, we get it, it's Harry!

_Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning._

Sirius: Yeah, what's with that?

'_Is that where –?' whispered Professor McGonagall._

Lily: Where what?

'_Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'He'll have that scar forever.'_

James: Forever? Can't he do anything about it? He's Dumbledore!

'_Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?'_

'_Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground._

Sirius: The what?

Lily: Muggle transport. I don't even want to know how he got a scar like that.

_Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with.'_

_Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursleys' house._

Lily: Does he really have to go there? My sister might hurt him. On purpose. _Often._

'_Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?' asked Hagrid._

_He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss._

Peter: Ew.

_Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog._

Sirius: Aww.

'_Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall. 'You'll wake the Muggles!'_

Lily: Uhoh.

'_S-s-sorry,' sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. 'But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles –'_

James: sniff

Sirius: Prongs, are you crying?

James: Um, no.

'_Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found,' Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out._

Lily: sniff I sure hope this book gets happier.

'_Well,' said Dumbledore finally, 'that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations.'_

'_Yeah,' said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. 'I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back._

Sirius: Yay! I get my bike back.

_G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir.'_

_Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night._

'_I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall,' said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply._

Peter: Ew!

_Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer._

James: That's just weird.

Sirius: What?

James: The name.

Sirius: Oh.

_He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four._

'_Good luck, Harry,' he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone._

Remus: One more paragraph and we're on to chapter two, ok?

James: Ok.

_A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley … He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!'_

**Well, there it is, the first chapter. Hopefully the next one will be a bit shorter. This took up 26 pages in Word!**

**Edit 19/6/08: Hey! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews for this, guys, but unfortunately I've decided not to continue it. Apparently it's against the rules. Sorry! Listen, hopefully 'How it came to this' will be my main fic from now on, I know I haven't updated it in a while, but I've been working on backstory for it. Tell me whether you like it how it is or if I should change it to canon (Snape and Lily friends, etc.) Thanks guys! Also, got a couple more in the works, two more HP and maybe an Eragon.**

**(Some of you offered to help me with this, would you be willing to help me with my other ones?? I really, really need Harry's first Hogwarts letter, word for word, and my friend hasn't returned PS to me yet. Anyone able to PM it to me?? Thanks.)**


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